Ad Age article on Sony vs Kindle

[Gerry]

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=138589

"How Sony E-Reader Lost to Kindle and How It's Battling Its Way Back"

I don't agree with all of this, but it is interesting.

[Elfwreck]

"The price cut, moreover, to $199 for the Reader Pocket due out at the end of this month, makes it the lowest-priced device yet in the e-reader category."

Feh.

That's correct, as long as "the e-reader category" is defined as "Sonys and Kindles." $199 might be the cheapest standard price offered for an e-ink device, but it's not the cheapest e-reader. And the Aztak Pocket Pro was $199 for a while, so Sony only met, not beat, the lowest price for e-ink.

I'm not registering at yet another news site just to leave a comment noting that their facts are flawed. Anyone else up for it?

[frozennorth]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

And the Aztak Pocket Pro was $199 for a while, so Sony only met, not beat, the lowest price for e-ink.

Aztaks retail price for the Pocket Pro is 229. A few days after Sony announced the 199 price for the 300, Aztak reduced the price of the Pocket Pro to the same amount. So it looks like Aztak reacted to Sony's move and not the other way around.

I'm still waiting for more reviews of the 600 and hopefully see one up close before deciding.

[brecklundin]

and is not the Astak price limited in time, ending some time in early September?

[GA Russell]

Thanks for posting this, Gerry! My brother-in-law is a retired orthodontist in York. He and my sister may know Mary Stewart, and I have sent my sister the link. Today is Stewart's fifteen minutes of fame!

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

and is not the Astak price limited in time, ending some time in early September?

It's only if one pre-orders. Their price will go BACK UP, unless they reassess their market strategy.

The Sony 300 will be the least expensive ebook reader on the market. Sale prices will later occur and it'll be even cheaper.

You're seeing a lot of people unloading those earlier, more expensive ebook readers, due to the prices now going. Look for the uninformed to buy loads of Sony 505s and try to sell them for a premium on Ebay, just like some did with the original Kindle. Laugh at them, please!

The preceding are only my opinions.


Don

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

The Sony 300 will be the least expensive ebook reader on the market. Sale prices will later occur and it'll be even cheaper.

The Sony 300 will be the cheapest e-ink reader on the market. The ebookwise is still under $150 with the large memory card, $109 with internal memory only.

You're seeing a lot of people unloading those earlier, more expensive ebook readers, due to the prices now going. Look for the uninformed to buy loads of Sony 505s and try to sell them for a premium on Ebay, just like some did with the original Kindle. Laugh at them, please!

The 505 has features that neither the 300 nor the 600 has, like comfortable placement of page-turning buttons. (Don't know that the others lack this, but their buttons are in different places, which means less optimal for the people who love the 505's arrangement.) The 505 is a 6" non-touchscreen reader, and a non-touchscreen reader-with-memory-cards, and many people will like those options. It fits in a market niche Sony's decided to abandon. (I have three Cliés. I know all about Sony abandoning perfectly viable market niches.)